Neonatal meconium aspiration syndrome and respiratory morbidity during infancy.

Respiratory morbidity in the first 6 months of life of 35 infants who had had neonatal meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) was compared to that of 70 controls, also born at term, matched for gender and ethnic origin. The number of infants in the two groups who were symptomatic was compared. Infants were described as symptomatic if, following discharge from hospital, they had at least one episode of wheezing and/or coughing which lasted for 3 days or more. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding parental smoking or the proportion of infants who had a family history of atopy. A significantly greater proportion of the MAS group (49%) than of the control group (20%) was symptomatic at follow-up. Eight (23%) infants with MAS and 2 (3%) controls had symptoms which necessitated regular bronchodilator therapy. The 8 infants with MAS who were on maintenance bronchodilator therapy had required significantly longer neonatal respiratory support and had larger lung volumes at follow-up than the other 27 infants. We conclude that neonatal meconium aspiration syndrome is associated with increased respiratory morbidity in the first 6 months of life.